My mother used to say that there is only ever one thing certain in life and that’s death! This year we have to cope with the loss of two close and dearly loved relatives and whilst there was perhaps some expectation with both it is always a shock to the system.
Sitting in my swivel chair I reflect on the life of the two ladies who have departed from us and whilst it is so sad it is tempered by remembering the good times and the fun that we had with them as well as sitting back and admiring their achievements. Both of the people we have lost were ladies working in a time when men dominated most works of life yet both succeeded in their own fields, something which is such good reasons to be proud of them both.
You go through the formalities of funerals and grieve at that time but there is always so much to do after that and the situation we are in is more difficult because their departures followed each other so closely. Once you have got beyond the funeral there is such a period of emptiness that surrounds you, hopefully in time this will be replaced by the memories that you should hold dear which are much more important.
To see those that you love and cherish struggle through illness is so difficult and you must, whatever your beliefs, wonder if there are not easier and more dignified ways to allow us to slip away from this world. Not just because of the suffering of those leaving us but of the anguish of those having to watch it all happen.
Having had these experience this year it is wonderful to say what a fantastic experience we had with the NHS at two different hospital both many miles apart but the staff in both of them cared and comforted both patients and us the family in ways that we will always be grateful for.
Now its back to my swivel chair and my memories, I hope that your year is less painful than mine has been so far.
